One Shining Star
by iBeansprout
Summary: After helping an injured creature she comes to know as a Digimon, 14 year old Tohru Harima ends up being roped into joining DATS. On top of making new friends and trying to further her relationship with her friend Masaru, the mystery behind her parents' disappearance ten years ago begins to unfold before her. [MasaruxOC & TohmaxOC. Original Japanese names & terms will be used.]
1. Chance Encounter

One Shining Star || Digimon Savers/Data Squad

.::||Chapter One: Chance Encounter||::.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon Savers or its characters. I only own my OCs.**

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A breathy sigh left the lips of a rather impatient looking teenage girl seated on one of the few benches located in the local park. Tohru Harima, the girl in question, had arrived at the park around noon and hadn't moved from her spot for the past two hours. The fourteen year old brunette had made plans with her best friend to meet up at this very park to hang out, however he had yet to arrive. Needless to say, Tohru was more than a bit peeved by the lack of his presence.

"Where is he…? He promised to meet me around noon so…what gives?" Tohru wondered aloud with a tone dripping with frustration, but underneath that was a hint of concern. Another sigh escaped her throat, one hand being brought up to cover a majority of her face in an action that most would consider to be a face palm. Leaning back against the bench, her head craned upwards so she could gaze up at the clear blue sky. Fluffy white clouds drifted in a slow and steady pace high above her, the sun casting its rays down on everything on this peaceful afternoon. Summer had ended with the coming of a new school year, but the heat of the previous season still lingered for the month of September before it was to be cast away to welcome the coming of Autumn.

"He's probably off fighting local thugs again." The corners of her thin lips twitched upwards as a chuckle sounded from her throat, emerald eyes closing as thoughts of her best guy friend crossed her mind. He was a hot blooded youth with a love of plowing his fists into peoples' faces and never passed up the opportunity to accept a challenge from another fighter. Sometimes she had to wonder if there was anything else that he thought about other than beating people to a pulp.

Oh wait…there was. Food.

Tohru let out a snort and giggled at the thought of her best friend stuffing his face, a smile of pure amusement gracing her features. However, this was short lived as the smile faded, her thoughts going back to the matter at hand. This was strange. He usually never left her hanging when they planned to hang out, so what the hell was going on? Could it be that he simply forgot? To be honest, she wouldn't be all that surprised if that were the case.

Another ten minutes of pointless mulling over where her friend was and why he was so late and the typical 'what ifs' that plagued the mind of any worry wart, there was still no sign of her hot headed friend anywhere. Tohru stood up from the bench, her bottom starting to feel sore and her foot starting to fall asleep from the amount of time she'd spent just sitting still for. A sensation similar to being stabbed by a million tiny needles surged through her leg, temporarily numbing the limb and forcing her to walk towards the exit with a very noticeable limp.

"Maybe I should see if he's at his house…" Tohru mumbled only to instantly take back those words with a shake of her head. _No way….what if I come off as being clingy or overbearing? _Deciding against going to his house, she opted to heading home instead. Besides, her grandmother would be back from doing her errands soon and would probably need help putting groceries and other bought items away. Upon reaching the exit to the park after gaining the feeling back in her leg, Tohru halted in her tracks when a peculiar noise found its way into her eardrum. They were sounds of pained whimpers and groans, and judging by the high pitched tone it had to be coming from a small child. Cautiously, the brunette turned around and scanned over the area for a source of the noises that seemed to plant a seed of worry into the back of her mind. Not that she knew what was making these noises, but if they were indeed the sounds of a suffering child, then this was something she simply couldn't just ignore.

Something out of place had then caught the girl's eye; it was small and animal-like in appearance with a mostly off-white colored soft looking body with splotches of lime green in different areas. It had long, floppy looking ears that were reminiscent of a rabbit's and a small horn protruded from the top of its head. The creature's entire body was covered in bruises and small gashes and it seemed that it was barely even conscious.

Her body seemed to move on its own despite her mind screaming at her to consider that this creature could be dangerous. Tohru dashed over to the wounded creature and knelt down beside it to inspect its wounds. Whatever this…thing was, it was certainly wasn't any kind of animal she'd ever seen before. Its eyes struggled to open, gazing up at her through vision that switched between blurred and clear as it was slipping in and out of consciousness. Tohru's emerald hues stared back into its darker half-lidded eyes, her own showing a great deal of concern and confusion.

"Who could have done this to you…?" Tohru's voice was just above a whisper as she spoke this question more to herself rather than to the creature.

"..That's…none of your concern…human…" The creature's small and weak voice reached her ears, its beaten and battered body shaking as it desperately struggled to stand upon its two stubby limbs.

At first, Tohru's entire body froze in utter shock for she had not expected it to answer her back. Wide emerald hues glued on the struggling creature while her brain tried its damned hardest process what the hell she'd just heard. _Did…Did that thing just TALK?! _

This…whatever it was, could talk. Not only that, it spoke her language and could walk on two legs. _…What. The. Hell._

Snapping out of her initial shock, and without really thinking the situation through, Tohru quickly scooped the injured rabbit-like creature into her arms and made a beeline dash out of the park and towards her home. All the while, the small otherworldly being in her arms was weakly protesting and struggling to break free from her grasp, saying something about not wanting help from a filthy human. She was really confused as to why he (at least she thought it was a he) would refuse her aid or why he seemed to hate humans. It didn't matter though, for once Tohru had her mind set on helping someone nothing could possibly stop her.

"Judging by how beaten up you are, I think you do need my help." She spoke to the reluctant creature in a gentle, stern tone; much like that of a mother softly scolding her reckless child while tending to a wound. He still seemed dead set on refusing her help as he, again, tried to wriggle his body out of her arms.

"Noo…let…me…go…"

Realizing that it might not be a good idea to keep him visible to the public eye in the case that someone happened to be passing by, Tohru stopped in her tracks and knelt down to gently place him on the ground. She proceeded to remove her gray colored hoodie (that was clearly bought in the boy's section) and wrapped the little guy up in the article of clothing, making sure that his face wasn't covered so he wouldn't suffocate. Scooping him back up, she leapt up to her feet and made a mad dash for her grandmother's house.

With each quick step she took against the pavement, her breathing grew heavier and heavier though she remained focused on the task at hand. _Damn…I'm running out of breath…_ However, this was no time to stop and take a breather, no matter how much she really wanted to right now. Her grandmother's house came into view which motivated her to pick up her pace. The house was old-fashioned, having been built many years before her time, with a dark brown shingled rooftop. Surrounding the quaint little home was a white fence that showed clear signs of aging, the white paint having started to chip away a long time ago.

Tohru threw open the gate and darted for the front door as a loud noise emitted from the gate's door slamming shut behind her. She practically leapt up the old and cracking steps of the stoop before throwing the front door open and roughly shutting it quickly. Her converse sneakers were kicked off and left laying askew in the front hall while she dashed past the living room and kitchen towards the bathroom. After searching the closet for the medical kit, she brought the creature to her room and closed the door.

With the utmost care, the brunette laid him on her bed and removed him from the warmth of her hoodie. Sitting on the mattress, she set down the med kit and got right to work on patching him up herself. First she got out the disinfectant and some wads of cotton balls. While Tohru was busy at work getting out the necessary supplies, the mystery creature was straining itself to sit up on the bed. Through tired, weary eyes he stared at the determined girl. His exterior showed a sense of extreme caution and distrust, but beneath his surface the creature was struggling to make sense of the situation he found himself in.  
_…Why? Why is this human helping me…?_

She carefully coated a cotton ball with the disinfectant liquid and began to gently blot it onto his wounds, noticing the creature's face scrunching up in a pained wince and a whimper escaping his lips. "Sorry. I should have warned you that it would sting a bit." Tohru apologized in a soft whisper, her lips tugging upward to reveal a kind, motherly smile. After disinfecting his wounds, she took out the medical bandages and placed them over his wounds. "There. Now…you should get some rest." She told him while cleaning up her workspace and placing the items back into the med kit. She put the kit back in the bathroom closet before returning to her room and sliding her hoodie back on over the t-shirt she wore.

In a similar manner to a mother tucking in her small child for bed, Tohru pulled her blanket over his small frame. He was about to protest and attempt to break out of this prison when his eyes slid closed. Exhausted and depleted of all energy, sleep consumed him while he lay enveloped in the girl's lingering body warmth.  
_I don't get it…why did she help me? I thought humans were evil…_

This thought plagued the creature's mind even as sleep was taking over him. Indeed, he did have this mindset that humans were evil beings that destroyed anything they couldn't understand. Every creature from his home world thought this way. So why did this human girl show him such kindness? Wasn't she scared of him?

Tohru gazed down at the sleeping form of the unknown creature, her kind smile never once faltering. She had no idea what he was or where he came from, but in that fleeting moment Tohru felt a strong desire to protect him. The sound of the front door creaking open and clicking shut jolted Tohru out of her thoughts. Light footsteps could be heard entering the kitchen which caused a sudden rush of panic to run through her veins.

"Tohru. Would you be a dear and help me with the groceries?" A much older sounding, gentle voice called to the brunette. It had hit Tohru like a sack of bricks to her skull; the sudden realization that she hadn't really thought things through when she decided to bring the injured creature home with her.

_How am I going to explain him to grandma?_

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**Well, there you have it! Chapter one of my Digimon Savers story! C:**

I hope you enjoyed it and if so, why not leave a review? I would like to know if there's any way I could improve my writing if there's anything uh…weird about it I guess?

The first couple of chapters are just supposed to be about Tohru meeting her Digimon partner, but don't worry the canon characters will make their appearances soon enough!  
(Also, see if you can guess which Digimon I chose to be her partner! ;D)


	2. Silent Bond

One Shining Star || Digimon Savers/Data Squad

.::||Chapter Two: Silent Bond||::.

**Thank you to MiraclesVeemon, foxchick1, SnakeGear and my good friend for reviewing! And yes, you guessed correctly! It's Terriermon! He's one of my favorite Digimon from my favorite season, Digimon Tamers! :D Here's chapter two, hope you all enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon Savers or its characters. I only own my OCs.**

Leaving the rabbit-like creature to aid her grandmother, Tohru made sure to close the door before heading into the kitchen. Her grandmother, an elderly woman of short structure due to her age, was busying herself with unpacking food items onto the table. Her whitened thin hair was tied into a low ponytail that draped over her shoulder. Her hazel colored hues were hidden behind a pair of old prescription lenses.

"Could you put away the vegetables, Tohru?" Her grandmother, Mrs. Harima, requested as the corners of her lips tugged up to reveal a sweet smile upon seeing the teenager. With a nod of her head, Tohru began placing all the vegetables in the fridge. The elder woman quietly thanked Tohru as she was putting some baking ingredients in one of the many cub boards in their kitchen.

"How was your day, grandma?" The young brunette questioned as she was gathering up the discarded grocery bags to put in the recycling bin.

"Oh, it was just like any other day. I wouldn't want to bore you with the tedious details." Mrs. Harima let a soft chuckle escape her thin lips. "What about your day, Tohru? Did you get to see Masaru?" She added in a teasing manner that caused Tohru's cheeks to flush red.

"Well…uh…not really. He never showed up at our meeting spot." Tohru replied dejectedly, shifting her weight uncomfortably while her face continued to heat up. Her grandmother's smile faded briefly as she stepped towards Tohru, placing a wrinkled hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure he had a good reason. Perhaps something came up." Mrs. Harima attempted to reassure the younger girl, her thumb gently tracing small circles into the material of Tohru's hoodie.

"Yeah…he probably got caught up with something important." Tohru paused, lips closing then parting again to make a comment pertaining to the boy they were discussing.

"Like cramming piles of food into his mouth?" Mrs. Harima remarked, beating her own granddaughter to the punch. Tohru's green hues were wide for a mere few seconds before a snort emitted from her throat. Both females burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter over the fact that they were thinking the exact same thing about Tohru's hot headed friend. After calming down from their hysterics, Tohru wiped tears from her eyes and offered to finish putting the rest of the groceries away while her grandmother got some relaxation.

The house had grown peacefully quiet with only the sounds of cabinets opening and closing and bags rustling. That was…until her grandmother's terrified shriek pierced through the silence and causing Tohru to drop everything she was doing and make a mad dash for Mrs. Harima's room. (She almost slipped on the hardwood floor on the way. Socks on hardwood floors don't mix.)

However, what she saw was probably just as bad as seeing her grandmother laying on the floor in pain. Instead she found that the still injured creature she brought home had wandered into her grandmother's room and managed to scare the living daylights out of the elderly woman. Mrs. Harima was backed up against the wall, eyes wide in both confusion and fear. Her hazel hues left the creature that was just staring up at her to glance over at her alarmed granddaughter. "T-Tohru..! W…What is…" Her voice was shaky, her frail body stiffened as if she had the idea that the little creature would actually attack her if she made the wrong move. The rabbit-like creature tilted his head to the side and took the tiniest step forward, causing Mrs. Harima's body to stiffen further and a yelp to leave her lips.

"G-Grandma, please calm down. He's not going to hurt you." Tohru gently assured her frightened grandmother while taking a step into the room and moving slowly toward the creature. Slow and steady, she kept telling herself. Arms reaching out to prepare to scoop up the mystery creature in her arms just in case he really did decide to harm her grandmother. However, she was not so lucky, as he sensed her coming up behind him and spun around to glare up at her defiantly.

"Stay away from me, human!" He shouted angrily, launching himself at Tohru and successfully landing a blow to her abdomen using his forehead before landing on his stubby feet and running out of the room. Tohru let out a grunt of pain and was knocked off her feet, falling backwards onto her bottom and doubling over while gasping for air. (His headbutt attack was surprisingly hard enough to knock the wind out of her) This caused Mrs. Harima to cry out in concern and rush over to her fallen granddaughter, kneeling by her side and giving her a soothing backrub. All the while, the small creature hid behind the doorframe and glared at the two.

"Tohru…did…that thing just talk?" Mrs. Harima whispered as quietly as she possibly could so as to avoid angering the creature further. Nodding her head, Tohru slowly sat up as she was able to breathe again though her stomach still ached a bit from the impact. "What is it and where did it come from?" Her grandmother questioned further, her hazel eyes filled with genuine fear and concern for their safety. Now that she knew this thing could attack them if he so desired, she wasn't too keen on the idea of him being inside the house with them.

"That I'm..not really…sure…grandma. I..I found it in the park before." Was all Tohru replied with before grabbing onto the wooden bedpost and, using it as support, pushed herself up onto her feet. "But I'm going to find out one way or another.." With that said, her emerald hues now locked onto the creature's darker eyes as she began stepping towards him again. Instead of attacking her though, he fled out into the hallway. Tohru gave chase in hot pursuit of the creature as she stumbled into the living room, spotting him making an attempt to escape by climbing up onto the couch that was located near the window. She sprinted across the room and leapt onto the couch, arms outstretched to grab him. Instead of catching him though, she went face first into the couch cushion, nearly knocking the piece of furniture backwards.

Now startled, he leapt off the couch and made a beeline for the front door. Cursing under her breath, Tohru continued this wild goose chase by running after him. He jumped up into the air, one of his floppy ears reaching for the doorknob. He was so close to succeeding in his escape, however before he could grab the knob he felt two strong arms wrap around his body and sending him face first into the wooden door. As Tohru had managed to finally catch him, she too went face first into the door as well. Mrs. Harima cautiously stepped out of her bedroom only to see her granddaughter holding the annoyed looking creature tightly in her arms. Both had red marks on their foreheads and noses as a result of hitting the door.

"Uh…I caught him grandma." Tohru chuckled nervously, blood starting to drip down from her nose. A sigh of both relief and unconditional worry left the elderly woman's lips before she went to fetch her granddaughter a tissue.

Tohru let a yawn escape her throat as the tomboyish teenager climbed into her small bed, glancing down at the tired looking creature that lay beside her. His back was turned to her, a sour expression plastered on his otherwise adorable features. _He's still angry at me, isn't he?_ Softly exhaling a sigh, the brunette laid her head down on one of her soft plain white pillows. Her emerald hues were glued onto the creature's form as she was contemplating what it is that he could possibly be thinking about right now. Though she didn't have to ponder this for long when his voice pierced through the silence.

"Why did you help me…?" He questioned weakly, successfully taking Tohru by surprise. Was something like that really bothering him that much? The brunette didn't answer at first, having taken a few minutes to actually process this question and try to come up with a reasonable answer.

"Well…I'm…not entirely sure why…" Tohru started, the corners of her lips tugged up ever so slightly to form a warm smile. "..But when I saw you laying on the ground, looking the way you did, I just felt like I needed to help you." This was honestly the only logical answer she could come up with, and had it been any other person that found him, they would have called the police rather than taking it upon themselves to come to his aid. "I don't know where you came from or what you are…but in that moment, none of that seemed to matter. I just really wanted to keep you safe."

This answer made no sense to him, or rather, he was trying to force himself to believe it made no sense. Everything about this girl caused every part of him to stiffen up with caution; her caring smile, the gentle and motherly tone she used to speak to him, and the comforting feeling he got every single time she held him in her arms. He wanted to believe that this was all just very good acting and she would eventually attempt to harm him, just as humans had done to his entire world ten years prior. However, whenever their eyes locked he couldn't bring himself to think that this girl was evil. Despite having been attacked by him and having to deal with his hatred for her, she was still making it her mission to befriend him.

Her kindness felt very _real._

He turned his body around, now coming face to face with the girl and locking eyes with her once again. This always seemed to send his emotions into a frenzy and his thoughts to become jumbled. He didn't want to admit out loud that he was beginning to trust her, however he kept his guard up in the case that she wasn't nearly as kind as she made herself out to be. He was beginning to doubt that all humans were evil because of this one girl. "My name is Terriermon..." He spoke once again after a thick silence that came over the two.

"Terriermon…" Tohru tried out the name to see how well it would roll off of her tongue before deciding that she liked the way it sounded. "What exactly are you?" Terriermon went quiet for a few mere seconds before answering.

"I'm a Digimon." Was all he replied with as he observed the girl's expression change to one of utter confusion, which surprised the rabbit-like Digimon. She had no idea what a Digimon was so she couldn't have known anything about what had happened on that horrible day ten years ago. That was a given, but he had always believed that all humans were evil due to the actions of a few individuals. This way of thinking was beginning to bother him. There was no way this girl could have thoughts of harming anything, let alone an entire race of his fellow Digimon.

"A Digimon..?"

"A monster that's made out of data…and I come from another world…the Digital World." Terriermon explained, the sour expression that had been plastered all over his features softening. Her emerald hues actually lit up with newfound curiosity at the news that a world other than her own existed.

"And…there are other Digimon besides you?" Curiosity and excitement were evident in her tone as her smile returned to her features.

"..Yeah. We all vary in appearance, shape, size, and personality." Her eyes widened and lit up further.

"Wow…that sounds so cool! I wonder what kind of Digimon there are out there!" She laughed cheerfully, her reaction to this news resulting in a surprised looking Terriermon. His features softened as the Digimon scooted himself closer to the girl's body, giving her permission to put her arms around him in response. Tohru seemed to get the hint, carefully bringing him into her warm embrace and pulling the blanket over their bodies.

"Goodnight Terriermon." Tohru's warm smile never faded from her face as her eyes fluttered shut, snuggling with him as if he were a stuffed animal. Funny thing was, he really did resemble a stuffed plush toy. Terriermon said nothing back, however he felt that he didn't need to. His eyes slowly closed as he suddenly recalled hearing the girl's name being uttered by her grandmother earlier that day before being consumed by a peaceful slumber.  
_Tohru…_

Said girl was recalling how hard it'd been to convince her grandmother to let him stay the night after the elderly woman nearly had a panic attack upon discovering him in their house. She'd gone on to scold Tohru for acting on a whim, however she wasn't too cross with the teenager. Mrs. Harima knew how her granddaughter's mind worked. Despite her tomboyish appearance, Tohru had a very maternal nature and always came to the aid of those in need.

Before sleep consumed her entire being as well, a troubling thought had crossed her mind.  
_Who…or what attacked you, Terriermon?_

**Looks like Terriermon is starting to warm up to Tohru, isn't he? X3 There will be more bonding between them in the next chapter. **

**If you like this story so far, why not leave a review or at least a comment? I'd love to get some feedback and see how I'm doing so far! Next chapter, the story will begin to progress more. Masaru and Yoshino will finally appear as well! Can't wait to work on that!**


	3. Awakened Digisoul

One Shining Star || Digimon Savers/Data Squad

.::||Chapter Three: Awakened Digisoul||::.

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I'm so happy that you're all enjoying this so far! :D And thank you to everyone that added this story to their favorites or started to follow it! You're all so awesome!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon Savers or its characters. I only own my OCs.**

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The following morning, Tohru, her grandmother and Terriermon were seated at the kitchen table to eat the omelets Mrs. Harima had prepared. However, only two of the three were actually eating anything as Terriermon merely stared down at his food, his expression full of uncertainty. Tohru's emerald hues left the food on her plate to stare down at her new companion, noticing the uncomfortable glint in his dark eyes.

"What's wrong, Terriermon? You don't like it?" The brunette questioned with a tilt of her head and a hint of concern in her eyes. Terriermon snapped out of his daze and lifted his head up to lock eyes with the human girl. He then stared back down at the omelet on his plate, leaning in closer to sniff at it causing his mouth to water at the delicious aroma that filled his senses.

Sensing his hesitation, Tohru offered him a warm smile and nodded her head at him. "Go ahead and try it." Terriermon looked as if he were trying his damned hardest not to give into his hunger, his body stiff and his expression focused.

"Tohru, dear. It's possible that Terriermon might not like food from this world. We shouldn't force him to eat it." Mrs. Harima gently but sternly told her granddaughter, causing the girl's smile to tug downwards into a slight frown.

"Oh…right. I didn't think about how Digimon might not like eating human food…" The tomboy glanced down at her food, feeling kind of silly that she hadn't given that any thought. In that moment, the Digimon gave into his hunger and wolfed down the entire omelet on his plate in about five seconds flat with a look of complete satisfaction. Tohru and her grandmother both blinked in surprise before the elderly woman emitted a quiet laugh at his actions.

"Did you enjoy it, Terriermon?"

Terriermon's once satisfied expression changed and he took on a more flustered appearance, however he nodded his head regardless. "It was really good." He spoke up for the first time that morning in a quiet tone.

Tohru's whole face brightened up at his answer, her frown changing back into a wide smile. "Glad you liked my grandmother's omelet, Terriermon! So does this mean that Digimon can eat human food after all?"

"Y…Yes.." Terriermon replied quietly, avoiding meeting Tohru's joyful gaze. Tohru noticed his quiet and uncomfortable demeanor and cocked her head to the side, confusion and concern showing in her emerald hues.

"Is something bothering you? You've looked upset ever since we woke up." Terriermon fidgeted in his seat, letting out a small whimper before finally meeting the human girl's gaze.

"I'm….really sorry for attacking you yesterday, Tohru…" Said girl hadn't said anything at first, her brain processing what the Digimon just said while blinking a few times in rapid succession.

_'Is that why he's been so quiet this morning? He felt bad for attacking me..?' _Tohru smiled warmly and in a swift motion, scooped the small creature up into her arms and cradled him gently against her chest. "Terriermon, you don't have to apologize for that! I forgive you!" The brunette stated as a carefree laugh escaped her throat, causing him to gaze up at her in surprise.

"You do…?" Terriermon earned a nod from the girl in response.

"Of course! That's what friends do! They forgive each other!" Tohru exclaimed as she hugged her new friend closer to her.

A slight blush appeared on Terriermon's cheeks as he eased into the hug and relished in the warmth of her body's heat. "F-Friends?"

"Yup! We're friends!" Tohru nodded her head as Terriermon quietly buried his face into the material of her t-shirt. Tohru hugged him a bit more securely and smiled as she turned to her grandmother, whom was smiling at the scene playing out before her. "Grandma, Terriermon and I are gonna go out for the day. Is there anything you need us to pick up?"

Mrs. Harima shook her head as she stood up, pushing her seat up and began to clean up the table and put the dishes in the sink to wash. "No, no. That's alright, deary. You two go have fun."

"Alright!" Tohru's smile never left her features as she ran to the door and slipped on her converse sneakers, then ran back to poke her head into the kitchen. "Have a good day Grandma! We'll be back later!"

"Be careful, Tohru." Mrs. Harima reminded her with a gentle smile, meeting her daughter's gaze. "You too, Terriermon." Tohru smiled back at her grandmother.

"We will! Bye!" With that, Tohru ran out the front door with Terriermon being held securely in her arms, looking like a stuffed toy. At least if he didn't move around too much, nobody would notice anything out of place and get freaked out.

After the elderly woman cleaned up the table and dishes, she slowly found her way into the living room. Her gaze trained on a simple picture frame sitting on the coffee table. Her shaky and wrinkled hand reached down and picked the frame up, bringing it closer to herself. Mrs. Harima's smile began to fade and was replaced with a somber expression, her hazel hues glued to the faces of a young man and woman holding a small infant with bright emerald eyes. The woman in the picture resembled a grown up version of Tohru, her light brown hair longer than Tohru's and laying gently over one shoulder and her green hues glued to the camera with a cheerful expression. The taller man standing beside her with his arm wrapped around her slender waist was giving a toothy grin to the camera, his free hand on his hip. His complexion was tanner than his wife's, his hair a darker shade of brown and some slight stubble on his chin. His hazel eyes held a hot blooded, burning passion in them. The infant in the photo was being held in her mother's loving arms and stared at the camera with wide, innocent hues that resembled her mother's.

"If only your parents could see how much you've grown, Tohru."

* * *

"Where are we going, Tohru?" Terriermon questioned curiously, glancing up at all the different buildings in awe and wonder.

"We're going into town! I'm going to show you some of the things I like to do. First thing on the list, the arcade!" Tohru exclaimed as she picked up her pace, walking with a bounce in her step towards the place in question. Terriermon tilted his head to the side questioningly.

"What's an arcade?"

"You'll see." Was all Tohru told him before they arrived at their first destination, a crowded arcade building filled with video game machines and machines made to play arcade games. She walked up to one of the token machines and slid a yen bill into the slot. It processed the money and spilled out some game tokens into the small coin dish. Tohru scooped up the silver colored tokens into her hand and pocketed them in the pocket of her cargo shorts and ran over to her favorite fighting game. After inserting a token, the start menu showed up on the screen.

"This is a video game, Terriermon. And the place we're in is called an arcade. People come here to play games to win tickets. Then they exchange those tickets for prizes at the counter over there." Tohru explained to the Digimon, pointing a finger over at the prize counter where different items ranging from stuffed toys to expensive game systems were lined up on shelves. Those usually cost a lot of tickets while all the cheaper prizes such as toy rings, fake fangs and candy were inside the display shelves.

Terriermon groaned and held his long ears close to his head, trying to block out all the noise. "It's noisy in here…" His reaction made Tohru laugh lightly, her eyes glued to the screen as she began to select her character to play as.

"Yeah, arcades are pretty noisy." She picked a female character and the game started and she was pitted against the game's computer. Usually she would play with her friend, but since he was absent today she had no other choice. However, within moments of the first round starting, her character was already on the ground as the letters 'KO' flashed on the screen.

"Heh, I'm pretty bad at this game." Terriermon furrowed his small eyebrows at the game's screen, his nose wrinkling.

"Why do you play it then?" He asked as if he didn't quite understand the whole concept of why someone would play a game if they were horrible at it. Well, in a way he really didn't understand it.

"Because it's fun, silly! Okay! Another round!" Tohru exclaimed excitedly as she continued to play the fighting game for two more rounds, losing each one of them one after the other. Once the word 'CONTINUE?' followed by a countdown showed up on screen, the brunette slumped back in her chair and let out a content laugh. "Man, I thought always losing to Masaru was bad."

At the mention of her best friend's name, Terriermon tilted his head to the side and glanced up at her in confusion, dark eyes blinking. Tohru sensed his confusion and stood up from the chair she was sitting in and began to leave the arcade with the Digimon in her arms. "Oh. Masaru is my best friend. We come here all the time to play against each other."

Tohru took him around the major parts of the city, showing him all the sights. Terriermon's eyes were wide in awe and wonder at the new and unfamiliar things he saw. To the brunette, it was honestly one of the cutest things she'd ever seen before. Around lunch time, they stopped at an ice cream stand by the park. Tohru began to stare at the stand, certain insecurities boiling up in her mind, her emerald hues glazing over. She was deep in her thoughts, contemplating her options.

"Tohru…?" Terriermon's small voice brought the brunette from her depressing thoughts and she glanced down at the Digimon in her arms.  
"Huh? Oh…" She paused for a mere moment or two before a smile tugged on her lips. "Want some ice cream?" Terriermon tilted his head as if to ask what that was. "You'll really enjoy it! I promise you!" Tohru exclaimed with added enthusiasm, stepping up to the stand and placing an order for two ice cream cones. Terriermon stayed completely still so as to not arouse any suspicion from the ice cream vendor, whom was staring at Tohru for a moment, her dark eyes traveling over Tohru's head to look behind her and upon seeing not a soul, traveled back to meet the girl's innocent gaze.

The vendor slowly began to prepare the two cones and handed them over to Tohru, who paid for them in return and was about to leave when the dark haired woman spoke up.  
"Are both of those for you?" Her tone was almost mocking in a way. This sudden question caused Tohru's emerald hues to widen ever so slightly and she bit her bottom lip, shaking her head in response. The tomboy glanced downwards as she turned away to hide how flushed her face was and walked at a brisk pace away from the stand and into the park. Tohru found a bench and sat down, sitting Terriermon beside her.

"Here. Try it." Tohru smiled as she handed one of the cones over to the Digimon before starting to lick her own, making a satisfied noise when the creamy treat slid down her throat. Terriermon held the cone in both of his stubby little hands and stared at it in confusion and hesitation. Tohru giggled when she noticed this.

"Go on. I promise it's not poisoned or anything." The brunette reassured him with a laugh, her eyes trained on him to observe his actions. Terriermon decided to try taking the risk and licked the vanilla flavoured ice cream, his eyes lighting up when the delightful flavour tickled his taste buds. Wanting more, he began to eat it at a much quicker pace before a clutching his head as pain throbbed in his skull, eyes squinting shut and his ice cream being knocked over in the process.  
"My head hurts!" Terriermon whimpered and Tohru giggled at his silliness.

"Don't worry. It's just a brain freeze. It happens when you eat something cold too quickly. It'll go away." Just as soon as these words left her lips, Terriermon's eyes slowly opened and his hands lowered from his head.  
"I-It's gone." Terriermon just then noticed his fallen ice cream laying on the dirt covered ground, an army of ants attacking the creamy treat. A sad whimper escaped his lips. "M-My ice cream…"

Tohru pulled the Digimon into her lap, a smile playing at her lips, putting her ice cream up to his mouth. "I'll share mine with you." Terriermon licked at one of the scoops of ice cream and a noise of satisfaction left his mouth. "How is it?" Tohru asked, cocking her head to get a better look at his face.

"It's…delicious!" Terriermon chirped with glee before practically digging his face into the sugary, creamy treat. Tohru's smile brightened and she licked from the other side of the ice cream.

"I'm glad you like ice cream. It's my favorite dessert." The brunette snuck a glance down at his face and had to stifle a giggle. "You've got some on your nose!" Terriermon merely blinked in response, head tilting slightly, dark eyes wide with innocence. The teenager had to resist the urge to let out a squeal at the adorable look on his face and gently wiped off the splotch of cream with her arm. "You're so silly."

There was a short silence between the two as they enjoyed their treat before something that was on her mind the previous night began to resurface in her mind. "Hey Terriermon…what attacked you yesterday? Was…was it another Digimon?"

The small Digimon's cheerful expression faded, a solemn look replacing it, his eyes downcast and his head nodding. "He's a Digimon who likes to bully weaker and smaller Digimon like me. Yesterday I challenged him to a fight because I was sick of being pushed around…but I wasn't strong enough."

Tohru's emerald hues fell upon Terriermon's solemn form, her expression softening at the familiar hint of sadness in his eyes. "I know how you feel…I get bullied and pushed around a lot too…it hurts and you feel like you're not strong enough to stand up to them…" Her lip quivered, a heavy sigh escaping her throat. Terriermon's dark eyes traveled up to his new friend, a hint of sympathy showing in those eyes.

Tears began to form in the corners of Tohru's eyes and she choked back a sob, biting her lower lip, shoulders shuddering as she struggled to swallow the lump in her throat. Noticing this, Terriermon wriggled out of her arms and climbed up her arm to rest on her shoulder, his long ears wrapping around her head in an embrace. Tohru felt the Digimon's warm and soft cheek nuzzle against her own, causing her eyes to widen in surprise from the sudden contact. "Don't cry, Tohru…"

He was…comforting her…

Her once sad expression softened and the corners of her lips tugged upwards, a giggle escaping her throat as she raised her hand to wipe away her own tears. "Thanks Terriermon, don't worry. I'll be okay." She reassured, nuzzling his cheek back. "You're soft and squishy."

Terriermon pulled a pouty face, cheeks puffing out to try and look intimidating. "Am not. I'm tough."

Tohru couldn't help but to smile and hold back her giggles as she brought the silly little goober back into her lap, arms wrapping securely around him. "Of course you are."

"You don't believe me, do you?" Terriermon grumbled, face still pulled into a pout. Tohru only laughed lightly in response and licked at the now melting vanilla ice cream.

They finished off the ice cream and continued to walk through the park, enjoying the cool autumn breeze. It was mid-afternoon by the time Tohru stopped in front of the very spot she found Terriermon laying in the day before. A quiet silence passed over them for a few moments before something strange caught their attention, tearing their eyes away from what they'd been staring at. A vortex opened up seemingly out of thin air and a gray rabbit-like creature, bigger than Terriermon with a scary looking expression and sharp claws, appeared before them. Terriermon's eyes widened in fear when he caught sight of the creature.

"T-Tohru. That's him!"

"W-What?" Tohru stammered as she too laid eyes on the intimidating creature in front of her, a look of realization passing over her features. "Terriermon…Is that the Digimon who hurt you?" The brunette whispered to the Digimon in her arms, to which he responded with a nod.

"That's Gazimon…" He whispered back to her. Gazimon noticed the pair standing out in plain sight right away, his lips pulling into a malicious grin.

"Well, I thought I'd find you here somewhere, Terriermon." Gazimon narrowed his eyes in disgust when he noticed Tohru and bared his sharp teeth to them. "What're you doing letting that human hold you like that?" The rabbit-like Digimon emitted a low growl from his throat, all of his anger and hatred showing in his beady eyes.

Tohru's sent a glare in Gazimon's direction, unconsciously hugging Terriermon closer to her chest. "You're the one that was bullying Terriermon…"

Gazimon's grin widened and he bared more of his teeth, looking much more threatening now. "Yeah? So what if I was? Not only is he a weakling, but now he's a traitor too!"

Terriermon sent the other Digimon a glare and wriggled free from Tohru's grasp to stand in front of her protectively. "I'm not a traitor!" Gazimon let another growl pass his lips, his paws clenching into fists.

"Any Digimon that partners up with a human is a filthy traitor and deserves to die!" These words caused Tohru to clench her fists in anger, her eyes narrowing at the bigger Digimon.

"I don't understand why you seem to hate humans so much, but I won't let you bully Terriermon anymore!" Gazimon directed his glare at Tohru when she intervened in his business.

"Shut your mouth, human!" He took in a deep breath of air and released a gaseous black colored blast from his mouth that was aimed at Tohru and Terriermon. "Paralyze Breath!" Thinking quickly, Tohru grabbed Terriermon and managed to jump out of the way of the blast, skidding across the ground and wincing in pain.

"Tohru…run. I'll fight him…" Terriermon whispered to her as he stood up on his stubby feet and walked towards Gazimon with determination in his eyes. Gazimon glared right back at Terriermon, growling dangerously and bearing his teeth menacingly.

"I always hated that look of yours. How could you betray us and go off to make friends with a human?! Don't you remember what they did to us?!"

Terriermon stopped in front of Gazimon, memories of the distant past flooding into his mind. "Of course I remember! I hated them all too! But…Tohru…she's not like that! She's showed me more kindness than any Digimon I've ever known!"

"Tch…filthy traitor. I'll kill you first…then I'll take my time slowly killing your human friend." Gazimon held up one of his paws and showed off his sharp claws, a menacing cackle rumbling from his throat. Terriermon's eyes narrowed in a fierce glare and he took on a fighting stance.

"I won't let you!" The smaller Digimon rushed at Gazimon and used the horn on his head to tackle him in the stomach with a hard impact, sending the larger Digimon flying backwards. The gray rabbit-like creature lay on his back, groaning in pain before struggling to get back up onto his feet, letting out an angry growl.

"Heh, I bet this girl is just fooling you, Terriermon. You shouldn't trust her, she could turn on you at the drop of a hat! Just like ten years ago!" He smirked in satisfaction upon noticing the way Terriermon's eyes widened just a bit.

"She wouldn't do that! She's not a bully like you are!" As soon as these words left his mouth, Gazimon's claws connected with his cheek, leaving a harsh red mark that begun to swell.

"Stop being such a fool! I bet you she'll run away to save herself!" Tohru's eyes widened for a brief moment and then narrowed in anger, her fists clenching tighter to the point that her knuckles turned white. "All humans are cowardly creatures! They're selfish! They discriminate against and destroy anything they don't like or understand!"

Terriermon's weakened form struggled to stand up, ignoring the throbbing pain in his cheek. "Not…all…humans are like that..!"

Gazimon rolled his eyes and brought his foot up to send a hard kick to Terriermon's face, sending the smaller Digimon flying back. "You're a fool, Terriermon."

Terriermon's vision began to blur, his consciousness starting to leave him. _'No…he…can't be right…Tohru…she wouldn't leave me here alone…right?'_ Terriermon's body quivered as he stood up, gritting his teeth. "You…big…bully! I won't let you push me around anymore!" He began to spin around in a circle at a rapid speed, creating a large twister aimed right at Gazimon. "Petite Twister!"

Gazimon dodged the attack with a deadly smirk and released another gaseous blast at Terriermon. "Paralyze Breath!" The blast hit Terriermon directly and sent him to the ground, temporarily unable to move or even lift a single finger.

Tohru's eyes widened in horror as she watched her new friend fighting with all the strength he could muster up, standing up on her feet. "T-Terriermon…"

Gazimon began to approach Terriermon, his toothy grin murderous as he raised up a clawed hand. "I'll finish you off now, traitor. Nice knowing ya." Terriermon glared up at him defiantly and braced himself for the strike that would finish him off.

What he didn't expect was for Tohru to appear in front of him and shield his weakened form with her body from the attack, letting out a cry of pain as Gazimon's claws slashed her back. Grimacing in pain and enduring it, the brunette cast a gentle smile down at Terriermon as a green wisp took form over her heart and engulfed her left arm. Terriermon's eyes widened in complete and utter shock at Tohru's sudden actions.

"T-Tohru…why did you…"

A pained laugh emitted from the brunette's lips, wincing when that caused her slight pain. "I told you, silly….its because you're my friend, Terriermon." Tohru stood up with the paralyzed Digimon in her arms and turned to face Gazimon, standing her ground against him. "I won't let you lay a claw on him!"

Gazimon roared with laughter, his cackles echoing loudly throughout the empty park before his vicious grin returned to his features. "You think you can actually fight me? A weak human being like you?"

Tohru grit her teeth and her lips pulled up into a smirk, her emerald hues filled with determination. "I know I can't fight against you and win, but I'll try. If its to protect Terriermon, I'll risk my life!"

"Fine." Gazimon growled. "You can both die together!" He charged at the both of them, claws raised and ready to deal deadly strikes.

Tohru didn't budge from her current spot and braced herself for the oncoming attack. However, an unfamiliar voice echoed through the air, causing Tohru's eyes to widen in surprise.

"Baby Flame!"

In that instant, a large fireball whizzed past the teenager and hit its target, Gazimon's cries piercing the air as he fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Tohru, still wide eyed, turned her head only for her eyes to fall upon a large yellow lizard with green eyes and red bracers on his claws running past her along with a tall male. His complexion was much more tanned than her own, his auburn hair reaching down to his shoulders in a half-ponytail and his forest green hues filled with a deep burning passion.

"M-Masaru?!" The teenage boy's name left Tohru's lips, her tone a mixture of surprise and confusion as her eyes scanned the boy up and down, making note of his rather strange attire.

"Tohru! Get back! We'll take things from here!" Masaru called back to her from over his shoulder, rushing in with the yellow lizard to fight against Gazimon. Tohru stood there in confusion, blinking and staring at his skintight outfit as she backed away from the fight.

"What the hell is going on here?" The brunette jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, whipping her head around to meet a pair of magenta colored eyes that belonged to a girl that was a bit taller than Tohru, her hair color matching her eyes.

"Come with me. I need to check that wound on your back. Don't worry about those two, Masaru and Agumon can handle the Digimon on their own." The magenta haired girl, also clad in a pink skin tight outfit similar to Masaru's, spoke to her in a firm but gentle tone so as to refrain from scaring Tohru.

"Um…okay. But…who are you?" The brunette questioned as she began to follow the older looking girl to what she figured was a police car judging by the way it looked. The magenta haired girl swung one of the back doors open and Tohru sat on the leather seat, having to turn around so her back was facing the other girl. She tensed up when the back of her hoodie was lifted up, the older girl inspecting her wound. "C-Could you answer my question?"

"Oh..right." The magenta haired girl pulled the material down and fished out her ID card from the white pouch attached to the belt that wrapped around her slender waist. "My name is Yoshino Fujieda and I'm an agent working for the Digital Accident Tactics Squad, or DATS."

"O-Oh…" Tohru turned around and stared into Yoshino's magenta hues. "So you're like the police?"

"Sort of. DATS is a government run organization that was created for the purpose of keeping the city safe from wild Digimon that appear in the human world." Yoshino explained in a professional tone, but only earning a raised eyebrow from Tohru.

"Its…bad for Digimon to be here?"

"More like its illegal. Only DATS members are allowed to keep a Digimon partner because we have what is necessary to help them evolve." Tohru tilted her head to the side at this new bit of information.

"Digimon can evolve?" Wow, she asked a lot of questions. She was surprised Yoshino hadn't gotten annoyed by the brunette's constant questioning yet.

"Yes. With the help of a Digisoul, which you seem to have awakened, and one of these." Yoshino pulled out a pink and white colored device that had a small display screen. Inside the screen was a pink and green colored creature with a cute face. "A Digivice iC." She put it back in her pouch after showing it to Tohru. "Anyway, your wound seems to be just a scratch. However, we'll have to take both of you back to HQ for treatment." Yoshino stood up just as Masaru and Agumon returned, both sporting angered expressions.

"Damn bastard got away!" Masaru grumbled, fists clenching and teeth gritting as his eyes stared at the ground.

"What?!" Yoshino's voice raised, successfully managing to startle Tohru with her sudden outburst, before letting out a sigh of irritation. "This is the worst…" The older girl mumbled before stepping away from the two teenagers and pressing a button on her earpiece, calling up her boss at DATS headquarters.

While Yoshino informed her boss of the situation at hand, Masaru forgot about his initial anger and glanced down at his childhood friend. A smile graced his strong features, his forest green eyes seeming to light up when they locked with Tohru's own green eyes. "Hey Tohru! You okay?"

Tohru felt her cheeks warm up, not doubting that a blush was forming on her face upon meeting his gaze. "Yeah. I'm okay…it's just a scratch, that's all."

Masaru began to lean over her form to get a better look at the slash wound on her back, this action making the smaller girl blush more. "Looks like a big scratch to me. Though, I'm impressed by how brave you two were! Good job, shorty!" The teenage boy let out a laugh that sounded so smooth and carefree, placing a hand on his friend's head and rubbing his palm against her beanie hat affectionately.

A soft smile tugged at the corners of Tohru's lips, her face heating up from his compliment and affectionate gesture. "Thanks." She then glanced down at the paralyzed Terriermon, nothing but concern in her eyes. "You okay, buddy?"

"Y-Yeah, just paralyzed…" Terriermon responded weakly as he was being cradled in Tohru's arms.

"We'll get you treated and you'll be back to normal in no time at all." She reassured her injured friend, earning a small smile from the Digimon.

Yoshino hung up after her conversation ended and she approached the two teenagers and their Digimon companions again, a hand resting on her hip. "Our boss will want to meet you once we get back." Her eyes briefly glanced over Terriermon before she met Tohru's gaze again. "You…might not be able to keep Terriermon though…" Her words caused the younger teenage girl to hold Terriermon closer to herself protectively out of instinct, her eyes clearly telling them that they'll have to pry him out of her cold dead hands if they want to take him away from her.

"..Unless you were to join DATS…" Tohru's protective demeanor faded, replaced with a curious glint in her eyes. "However, I won't force you into it. Just…give it some thought…" Yoshino told her firmly, crossing her arms over her chest and bringing up a hand to rub her temple.

Tohru merely nodded her head quietly, her eyes briefly glancing over Yoshino, Masaru and the Digimon standing beside her best friend, known as Agumon. "If I were to start working for DATS…my grandmother would be alone a lot more often….I..I don't know if I could leave her by herself like that…"

"Well, that's why we're giving you a choice...but if you choose not to join, we'll have to take Terriermon from you and your memories of him will have to be erased." Yoshino's voice no longer held that gentle tone, now sounding more stern, serious and commanding.

"R..Right.." Tohru's voice trailed off and she went quiet, an uncomfortable silence falling over the trio. Masaru noticed the solemn expression on his best friend's face and began to open his mouth to protest against DATS rules, but stopped himself when Tohru smiled sadly and shook her head as if to tell him not to try and defend her.

"I'll…think about it…"

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**Holy crap, this is a long chapter. I…did not expect it to be this long, but I think that makes up for taking so long to get it typed up! xD Just to inform you all, updates will usually be weekly unless something happens that prevents me from putting out a chapter each week. **

**This ended up being ten pages. TEN PAGES. Ugh. **


	4. Hidden Insecurities A Dangerous Rematch

One Shining Star || Digimon Savers/Data Squad

.:: ||Chapter 4: Hidden Insecurites; A Dangerous Rematch|| ::.

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed. YOU'RE ALL SO AWESOME!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon Savers or its characters. I only own my OCs.**

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The car ride to DATS headquarters was, to say the least, silent and awkward. Yoshino's gaze was focused in front of her, her hands having a firm grip on the steering wheel. Masaru was in the passenger's seat beside her, his forest green hues taking glances up at the rearview mirror to check on the three individuals in the backseats. Tohru was seated behind him with Terriermon in her lap and Agumon seated beside her. Masaru's partner had kept taking quick glances over at the brown haired female every few minutes.

"Hi! I'm Agumon!" The giant yellow lizard greeted Tohru for what was actually the first time, giving her a big grin. Turning her head, Tohru returned the smile.

"Hi! I'm Tohru. This is Terriermon." If he hadn't been paralyzed, Terriermon would have waved at Agumon with his stubby little hand.

"I know who you are! Aniki told me all about you!" Agumon exclaimed though all he earned was a confused stare from Tohru, her emerald hues blinking innocently.

"Aniki..?"

"That's what I call my partner! He wanted to show me to you, but he was scared of how you'd react to seeing me!" Agumon explained, clearly referring to Masaru.

Tohru turned her gaze to the back of Masaru's head before he had shifted in his seat to stare back at her. "Really?"

"Ah, jeez! Agumon! Don't embarrass me like that!" Masaru groaned while sending a glare towards his partner, a very faint pink blush sprinkled on his cheeks that he hoped went unnoticed by Tohru.

"Sorry Aniki!" Agumon apologized before turning back to Tohru, still grinning brightly at the girl, who had started to giggle at their bickering. "Aniki was right though! You are really cu-"

Before Agumon could speak anything more, Masaru's hand had slapped over his mouth. The teenager had launched himself out of his seat and covered the talkative Digimon's yapper before he could finish his sentence. The blush on his tanned cheeks had darkened considerably, shouting curses at his airheaded partner. Tohru had flinched at this sudden action and unfortunately, it also distracted Yoshino and she almost swerved off the road. Managing to regain control of the car, she pulled over on the shoulder and put the car in park.

"That's enough, Masaru! Sit back down now!" Yoshino raised her voice over all the noise, turning in her seat and sending a demanding glare towards the now frightened Masaru. The younger teen quickly did as he was told and sat back down lest he anger her further. The magenta haired female let out an aggravated sigh and sent Tohru an apologetic look.

"Sorry for all that." Tohru smiled back as she sweatdropped in response.

"It's alright. I'm used to it." The two females shared a laugh while Masaru's eye twitched and a groan escaped his throat.

"Let's just get back to DATS! We gotta get Tohru and Terriermon looked at!" The hot-blooded teen complained, his annoyed glare directed more at Yoshino. Tohru's giggling ceased, a blush painting her fair cheeks red.

"Alright, calm down Masaru." Yoshino waved him off, not in the least bit intimidated by the younger teenager in the least. She shifted gears and after checking to see if it was good to go, she drove back onto the road and within the next few minutes they had arrived at a large building located on the far end of town. Tohru had never known that this place existed before, but then again she'd never been this far downtown either.

Yoshino exited the car, her hand already on her head as she felt a raging headache coming on. It was easy for Tohru to see that Yoshino was like the mother of DATS, gentle and kind, but knew to get angry when she needed to. Masaru was more like the problem child that gave her constant headaches. Tohru stepped out of the car and followed the two DATS members into the building.

As they walked through the corridors, Tohru's eyes curiously took in her new surroundings. There were no other sounds other than the clanks of their shoes against the metal flooring. The two led her into a white room where a few medical professionals were waiting for them with inviting smiles. She was instructed to sit on the medical bed by a dark haired woman, her hair pulled up into a tight bun. A brown haired male took Terriermon into another room so he could be treated separately.

"Miss, you'll have to remove your shirt so I can apply the disinfectant." The dark haired woman spoke to Tohru with a gentle tone, a container and some cotton swabs in her hands. Tohru's cheeks flared up when she realized Masaru was still in the room. Masaru, however, wore that oblivious expression he was known for. Yoshino got the hint and began to push him out of the room while he started shouting complaints at her. She slammed the door once he was outside and leaned against the cool surface with a sigh.

Tohru reluctantly removed the article of clothing and turned her back to the woman, cheeks still stained with a dark blush. Her hands in her lap, clenching her fists till her knuckles turned white. She bit her bottom lip when the dark haired woman began to dab the disinfectant on her wound, finding that it stung way more than she initially believed it would. Her eyes shut tightly to endure the process and before she knew bandages had been wrapped around her, covering the slashes on her back.

Though there was still a slight stinging sensation, Tohru stood up with no problems and carefully put her shirt back on. However, she knew she would have to throw the article of clothing out once she got home due to the fabric being torn up in the back. Yoshino placed a hand on her shoulder and led her out of the room, finding Masaru leaning against the wall with his arms crossed across his chest and Agumon at his side. "About time you guys finished."

"Oh quit complaining. We weren't in there for that long." Yoshino rolled her eyes at him. The male doctor from before brought Terriermon, who was looking much better than he did before, and handed the Digimon to Tohru.

"Wow! You look a lot better, Terriermon!" The brunette exclaimed, a smile crossing her features as she hugged her new friend close to her and nuzzled her cheek against his.

"Yeah! I feel a whole lot better too!" Terriermon chirped, nuzzling her cheek back and wrapping his ears around her in an embrace. Yoshino, Masaru and Agumon couldn't help but smile at the rather cute scene in front of them. However, Yoshino quickly reminded them of what they were supposed to be doing and began walking ahead. The two younger teens glanced at each other and followed their superior into a rather large room filled with computers and screens.

Two young women who appeared to be around Yoshino's age were seated at a couple computers, their fingers typing away at the keys. One had long, straight dark hair, appearing more mature looking. The other had had shorter, wavy blonde hair and a cute face making her appear younger than the other girl. Both were wearing the same outfit, however it differed from the uniform that Masaru and Yoshino wore. Sitting behind the desk at the far end of the room was a tall looking man with very broad shoulders. The man had short dark blue hair and a tanned complexion, however, Tohru couldn't see his eyes as they were hidden behind a pair of dark tinted glasses. Around his neck was a white ferret-like Digimon that sort of acted like a small scarf.

Just by taking one look at him, Tohru could tell right away that this was a guy whose authority demanded the utmost respect. Which totally wasn't because of how intimidated she felt under his gaze either. This was a man who should not be messed with.

"The wild Digimon got away. Correct?" The moment he spoke, she wasn't surprised by how deep his voice sounded and inwardly flinched at his tone. Clearly he'd already been informed that the mission was an utter failure and wasn't too happy about it. Tohru couldn't help but put some of the blame on herself. If she'd been stronger…

If both Tohru and Terriermon had been stronger…maybe they could have…

Masaru and Yoshino flinched in unison, the younger male scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Uh….yeah…it won't happen again, sir." Wow, this guy even intimidated the great Masaru Daimon. Go figure.

The man, known as Rentarou Satsuma, let out a sigh and turned his gaze to Tohru, who noticeably stiffened up under his powerful stare. "You are Tohru Harima, correct?"

Tohru blinked, confusion written all over her face and the nervous feeling intensifying.

_How did he know her full name?_

Nodding her head slowly, Tohru swallowed hard and fidgeted uncomfortably where she stood. "Yes…sir…" Her tone was quiet and showed just a hint of how nervous she felt at that very moment.

"And the Digimon you're holding, we caught its signal yesterday. It was very weak though and we couldn't pin point its exact location." Satsuma studied Terriermon from behind his glasses, his arms folding over his chest. Instinctively, Tohru held her friend closer to herself in a protective manner.

"A…Are you going to take him from me?" Satsuma had to hold back an amused chuckle at the girl's strong will to have Terriermon remain at her side.

"Usually, that would be the case…however, from what I've been told you were able to obtain a Digisoul before." The expression on Tohru's face told him that she had no idea what he was talking about. "Did you happen to notice a wisp of data surrounding your hand when you were fighting?"

Now that Tohru thought about it…when she shielded Terriermon from Gazimon's claws, all she could think about was protecting her friend. Then that green wisp of energy manifested where her heart was and spread to her left hand. It felt odd, like an incredible rush.

Tohru simply nodded her head quietly, proving Satsuma's claim to be correct. "Because you obtained a Digisoul, you have potential as a member of DATS. However, I will leave the decision to you. If you join, Terriermon will become your partner and fight alongside you to battle other Digimon that enter this world."

This should have been the easiest decision in the world to make for her, but strangely enough it felt more like the hardest. If she were to join, she wouldn't get home until probably evening and for most of the day her grandmother would be left by herself. Anything could happen to her, something that Tohru always worried about. If anything were to happen to her grandmother and she wasn't around to come to her aid…

Sensing Tohru's indecisiveness, Satsuma turned to Yoshino and asked her to retrieve something for him. Nodding her head obediently, the magenta haired girl quickly left the room only to return a few minutes later with a small green and white device in her palm. Handing it over to her boss, she took a few steps back, her eyes now on Tohru.

"Tohru. Take this." Satsuma held his hand out to the girl, the device he'd been given sitting in his open palm. The troubled brunette stepped forward hesitantly and picked the device up, admiring its design and trying to become familiar with the smooth surface beneath her fingertips.

"A Digivice..? You're giving one to me?"

"Yes. Just in case anything happens. With that, Terriermon will be able to evolve to his next form." Satsuma explained.

"..T-This doesn't mean that I'll actually join…but, thank you." Tohru stammered, her mouth feeling dry and her cheeks feeling hot. She quickly slipped the device into the pocket of her jeans, making a mental note to fit a chain through the loop in the top so she could chain it to the belt loop of her pants.

"I'll give you a few days to think it over. With that, you're all dismissed for today." Masaru and Yoshino lifted their arms up to salute their commander before turning to Tohru.

"Let's get you two home. Tohru, I'll take you home last since I want to talk to your grandmother about what's going on." Yoshino spoke in a softer voice to try and lessen some of the girl's nervousness and show that she could be trusted.

Though her body remained tense in the presence of the giant man before her, Yoshino's motherly tone did manage to ease some of the anxiety that built up over the past few minutes. "Okay. I bet grandma is wondering where I am right now…she must be worried sick. I just hope she won't freak out too much…"

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* * *

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Yoshino and Tohru stepped out of her police car after parking outside the old traditional house and approached the front door, the magenta haired girl pressing the doorbell. After hearing it sound inside the house, a few silent moments passed before the front door opened and Tohru's grandmother stood in front of them. Her eyes blinked in confusion a few times before she noticed the police car behind the two younger girls. "Oh my…Tohru, what's going on?" Her tone filled with concern and worry, bringing her wrinkled hands to her mouth in surprise.

"Mrs. Harima, please don't worry. Tohru's not in any sort of trouble. Would it be alright if I came in for a little while? There's some…things that need explaining right away." Yoshino spoke, using her professional tone but with an added gentleness to ease the elderly woman's concern.

"Ah…yes. I'll brew some tea." Mrs. Harima offered as she opened the door wider and allowed Yoshino and Tohru to step inside before closing the door behind them. She shuffled herself to the kitchen and immediately began to brew some scented herbal tea while the younger females seated themselves on the sofa in the living room. Within a few minutes, the scent of flowers and oranges filled the house.

Terriermon lifted his head up to sniff the air and hummed in satisfaction, a dreamy sigh leaving his mouth. "Something smells really good." He wriggled out of Tohru's arms and waltzed into the kitchen to stand near Mrs. Harima, who didn't really mind having the Digimon near her this time now that she knew he wasn't threatening.

"Your house is very comforting." Yoshino complimented as she began to settle into the sofa and enjoy the warmth that the house seemed to radiate. Tohru's lips curled up into a small grin and she thanked the older girl for the compliment. "I feel like I could fall asleep right here." Yoshino added with a small laugh before a higher pitched voice sounded from seemingly nowhere.

"You probably would too if I weren't around, Yoshino!" A bright blush spread across the girl's cheeks as she grabbed her Digivice and glared down at the tiny screen, meeting her Digimon partner's gaze.

"No I wouldn't, Lalamon!" Yoshino whispered harshly through gritted teeth, a dark shadow appearing over her eyes. Tohru was a bit surprised by the 18 year old's behavior, but then an amused laugh escaped her throat.

"You two seem to get along well. I hope Terriermon and I will become that close soon." Yoshino quickly composed herself and put her Digivice away with a nervous laugh just as Mrs. Harima walked into the living room, carrying a tray with three mugs of piping hot tea in both of her shaky hands. Tohru quickly stood up and assisted her grandmother in putting the tray on the low coffee table in front of them and then helped the elderly woman into the armchair next to the sofa. Terriermon trotted back into the living room and hopped onto Tohru's lap.

Yoshino carefully looped her fingers through one of the mug's handles and picked it up, bringing the rim to her lips and taking a small sip. "Mm…this tea is delicious! Is it home brewed?" A genuine smile stretched over Mrs. Harima's thin lips, her head nodding. "Wow. I wish I could just live here!" Tohru couldn't help but laugh at Yoshino's gleeful expression, it was like she'd been reduced to an excited small child. However, this didn't last long as the young adult regained her professional composure and placed the mug back on the tray before coughing to clear her throat.

She began to explain everything that had gone on today. Tohru's encounter with Gazimon which resulted in both her and Terriermon being injured. The existence of Digimon and the Digital world. DATS and its purprose and finally why Tohru was asked to join in the first place.

Mrs. Harima took all of this information in, simply keeping quiet and nodding her head while sipping some tea every so often. "I see." She focused her attention on her granddaughter now, an approving grin on her wrinkled face. "I think joining would be a very good experience for you Tohru. Please, don't worry about leaving this old woman alone. I'm perfectly capable of handling myself." The elderly woman reassured Tohru with a chuckle.

Tohru's emerald hues left her grandmother's smiling face and gazed down at her own reflection in the tea, her mind racing. A few silent moments passed before the brunette inhaled deeply and exhaled.

"I…will think it through. Just…give me a few days."

In the end, she still hadn't been swayed. There was still time for her to make her final decision. As Tohru and her grandmother waved goodbye to Yoshino who walked to her police car waving back at them, she bit her bottom lip, her mind still racing and pondering over what she should do.

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* * *

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A sigh left Tohru's lips, her emerald hues fixed on her own reflection in the full body mirror in her room. She stood in front of it in only her undergarments and glancing down at herself, then back at the image in the mirror. Her grandmother always told her that there was nothing wrong with the way she looked, but there was always a small voice of doubt in the back of her mind that said otherwise.

While being a thin girl up top, her hips were just a bit wider than what was considered normal looking for most Japanese girls her age. Every time she looked at herself in the mirror, Tohru couldn't help but want to look away in disgust. Every time she went out in public, she saw other thin girls and felt even worse about her own body.

It was the main reason she didn't like skirts or dresses and preferred to dress the way she did. To cover up and hide her body from the world. It was one of the reasons she was a target for bullying by other girls at her school.

Realizing that she still needed to finish dressing, Tohru quickly threw on her school's uniform and glancing at herself in the mirror once again. A frown of dissatisfaction crossed her features and she turned to Terriermon, who watched her with curious eyes and a tilt of his head. Of course, he was a Digimon and wouldn't fully understand what she was feeling at the moment so she decided against discussing it with him right now. Not that she had the time to anyway.

Glancing down at her Digivice, she pointed it at Terriermon and pressed the button in the center. He instantly disappeared from her vision, but reappeared in the small screen on the device and gave her a thumbs up…or at least what looked like one. Once she was ready and had eaten something for breakfast, Tohru was running out the door and bidding her grandmother goodbye until later when she would return from school.

On her way, she spotted Masaru walking just up ahead of her and quickened her pace to catch up with him. Once she was directly behind him, she playfully punched him in the shoulder and smirked when he jumped in surprise.

"Tohru? When did you..?" The taller brunet started, but his voice trailed off as his forest green eyes locked onto her own green hues. The shorter girl began walking beside him and let out a faint chuckle when he smirked back and gave her a playful punch on the arm.

"Morning Masaru!" Tohru chirped, her usual warm smile returning to her features now that she was in the presence of her childhood crush.

"Morning shorty." Masaru's grin stretched across his face at the nickname he'd given her last year and affectionately placed his hand on her head, ruffling her hair. A gesture that had become a usual habit for the hot headed teen every time he hung out with her. "You thinkin' of joining DATS? It'd be awesome if we were teammates, wouldn't it?"

Tohru nodded her head, though she didn't say anything more on the matter, wishing to drop the subject for today. She'd rather just concentrate on getting through another day of school than whether she should join DATS or not. She had a few days to think about it, so why worry about it now?

"Hey, you okay Tohru?" Masaru's voice brought Tohru out of her daze and she gazed up at her hot headed friend, their eyes locking. His bright forest green hues were filled with concern, as if he'd never seen her looking so troubled before. She forced a smile onto her face and nodded her head a bit more enthusiastically.

"Yeah. I'm fine, Masaru. Don't worry about me!" The shorter brunette forced out a laugh and gave him a toothy grin, showing off her pearly whites. "Now let's get to school before we're both late!" She grabbed his wrist and began pulling him in the direction of the junior high school they attended.

"Hey! Tohru, don't pull me!" Masaru shouted as a carefree laugh escaped his throat and his usual grin found its way back onto his tanned face. A light blush dusted his cheeks and he was relieved that she wasn't looking his way at the moment. Though as he stared down at his best friend, there was a small seed of concern for her that planted itself in the back of his mind.

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* * *

.

Tohru let out a small yelp of pain when her back hit the outside brick wall of the school building, her emerald hues focusing on the three taller girls that surrounded her. All three were the type of girls that looked to be incredibly popular, having long and silky smooth hair and perfect bodies. They wore makeup, though it wasn't caked on their faces and they wore plenty of accessories. The one in the middle, the ring leader, stepped forward with a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Why do you even bother wearing the uniform, thunder thighs? You'd probably be better off wearing the guy's uniform since you dress like a boy anyway." Tohru bit her bottom lip and glared at her as she straightened herself up, her hands curling up into fists around the hem of her skirt.

"I-I…" Tohru stammered, her chest tightening from anxiety. "…Just…g-go away…" She stuttered, her voice small and her eyes avoiding the other girl's gaze.

The ring leader, Ayumi, narrowed her eyes and she raised her hand up. Her palm made contact with Tohru's cheek, the slap being hard enough to leave a red mark on the brunette's fair skin. Tohru raised her hand up to touch the spot where she'd been slapped, eyes wide in shock, lip quivering. "Don't talk back to me."

Tohru's breath grew shaky, her chest heaving as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes but she blinked them back.

"Aw, are you gonna cry, thunder thighs?" Another of the girl taunted her, all three girls giggling, malicious smirks stretching across their glossed lips.

From inside his Digivice, Terriermon could sense that Tohru was in trouble. He was unable to do anything about it though, as he was forbidden from leaving his Digivice while they were out in public.

"So where's your dumbass friend, Masaru?" Ayumi questioned in a taunting tone, crossing her arms over her chest. A shadow loomed over the blonde haired girl, a certain hot headed brunet standing behind her with his arms crossed, forest green eyes blazing with anger.

"Right behind you!"

All three girls tensed up and slowly turned around, eyes wide as they stared up at the great Masaru Daimon. "U-Um…w-we…weren't…" Ayumi started, but quickly shut herself up when he snarled at them, lips curling as he bared his grit teeth to them. Ayumi and her clique screamed in unison and sped off in the other direction as quickly as humanely possible.

Masaru dropped the delinquent act and approached Tohru, his expression softening as he put a hand on her shoulder, his thumb rubbing small circles into the material of her blazer. "You okay, Tohru?" His voice was strangely quiet as he gazed down at his childhood friend. He knew about the bullying she had to deal with and always came to help her by scaring the bullies off.

It was a few moments of silence before Tohru actually answered him, her voice cracking as she was on the verge of tears. She didn't look up at him and instead leaned her head against his chest, feeling the taller boy's body tense up at the sudden contact, only for his arms to wrap around her. "…Y-Yeah. I'll be okay…thanks for helping me.." She tried to put on a brave smile and gazed up at him, though judging by his expression, he wasn't really convinced.

"If you're sure.." His voice trailed off as the two separated and he ruffled her hair affectionately. "Anyway, I gotta get going to DATS now, so I'll see you later Tohru." Masaru grinned down at the shorter brunette, oblivious to the blush staining her cheeks as he gave her a small wave and ran off.

Tohru waved back, her smile slowly fading as she watched his back until he was out of her line of vision. Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, she began her trip home from school. It wasn't an incredibly long walk, but the school was a good ten to fifteen minutes away from her grandmother's house. As she was walking, she fished her Digivice from her pocket and glanced down at the small screen, gazing into her partner's worried eyes.

"Tohru..? What happened?" Terriermon's concerned voice came from the device's built in speaker. He clearly wanted to be let out in order to comfort her.

"Well…those girls…they always bully me…kind of like what Gazimon did to you." Tohru explained, wishing she could just bring her partner out right now and hug him to her for comfort. Once she got home, she would definitely be hugging him for the rest of the day.

That's when Terriermon's expression changed, growing more alarmed by the second. "T-Tohru…I sense a Digimon!" Tohru's eyes went wide, halting in her tracks as she began to glance around in search of the Digimon her partner detected.

"W-Where is it, Terriermon?" She questioned almost frantically, unaware of the creature stalking up behind her until she heard a sinister cackle, spinning around on her heel and coming face to face with the very Digimon that had gotten away the day before.

"Gazimon?!" Said Digimon bared his teeth in a vicious grin, taking slow steps towards Tohru, blind hatred in his eyes.

"That's right. Did ya miss me? Cuz I certainly didn't miss you." He cackled loudly as Tohru glared right back at him and raised up her Digivice.

"Terriermon! Realize!" A green beam shot forth from the device once she pressed the button in the center, and Terriermon materialized in front of her looking ready to fight. He let out a grunt as he got into a fighting stance and glared daggers into Gazimon's skull.

"Heh…still think you can beat me, Terriermon? We all know I'm still stronger than you are, especially when you've never evolved before!" Gazimon began to glow brightly and he grew bigger and bigger, changing in shape and becoming something demon-like. Terriermon's eyes widened, fear consuming him as he stared up at the large Digimon hovering above the ground.

"D-Devidramon…"

This was the first time Tohru ever witnessed a Digimon evolving, and she was absolutely terrified of the new form Gazimon took on. He was huge now, and could fly. Fighting him was going to be much more difficult, and possibly even deadly. Then realization dawned on her and her face grew pale.

_If I don't defeat Devidramon…he'll go after everyone in the city…he'll hurt innocent people, o-or worse…he'll kill them! I…I can't let him do that! I have to protect everyone! _

That same green wisp from the day before appeared over Tohru's heart and engulfed her left hand. At first, she was genuinely startled by the charge but glanced down at her Digivice and gripped it tighter in her hand.

"Terriermon…you ready to prove you are strong enough to defeat him?" Tohru asked as she stood beside her partner and glared up at Devidramon with newfound determination. Terriermon looked up at Tohru and nodded his head as she placed her hand over the small device.

"Digisoul Charge!" Tohru felt as though the charge was drained from her body and she watched as Terriermon began to glow bright green.

"Terriermon evolve!" He grew bigger in size, large machine guns appeared on his arms and replaced his paws, bullet holsters were now strapped to his body and went across his chest and back, and he wore a pair of dark blue jeans. "Gargomon!"

Tohru stared wide eyed at Terriermon's adult form, raising an eyebrow at the jeans he was wearing. _This…is what little Terriermon can become? That's so freaking cool! _

Gargomon stared Devidramon down, Vulcan guns raised, no longer the weak little Digimon that let himself get pushed around. Devidramon growled, baring his sharp teeth and his many eyes narrowing in hatred and anger. It didn't matter to him that Terriermon had evolved because he'd still be the weaker Digimon in the end. The demon-like Digimon let out a loud roar as he flew at Gargomon at high speed, sharp and long claws raised and ready to strike at his target. However, when he was about to swipe at him, Gargomon swiftly jumped up and stepped on Devidramon's head.

He did a flip in the air before aiming his guns at the winged Digimon and firing off a round of bullets, successfully hitting Devidramon in the back and causing him to cry out in pain. The demon-like creature growled viciously and swiftly turned himself around as Gargomon landed on the ground and flew at him at rapid speed with the intent to kill. His red claws began to glow and he raised them both up, getting ready to slash Gargomon to pieces.

"Crimson Nai-" Before he could finish uttering his attack name, Gargomon fired off another round of bullets and dodged as Devidramon went crashing into the ground. Growling in anger, he struggled to get up when he noticed that his target had slid right underneath him and pressed the barrels of his guns right into his stomach.

"DumDum Upper!" Gargomon shouted as he fired off his Gatling Arm attack into Devidramon from below, sending the winged Digimon up into the air. Devidramon roared in pain, only to be barraged with more bullets from Gargomon's Vulcans.

Devidramon couldn't believe he was being defeated by the very same Digimon he always pushed around. It shouldn't have been possible! He let out one last roar of pain before dissolving into data and reforming back into a large egg that landed on the ground.

Gargomon panted heavily before he shrank back down to Terriermon. Tohru had watched the entire fight scene that played out before her in complete awe. She'd actually almost forgotten to breathe due to how badass Terriermon had been. She ran over to Terriermon and scooped him up into her arms, a wide smile stretching across her face.

"Terriermon, you were amazing! I'm so proud of you!" She hugged her partner close to her and nuzzled her cheek against his. The small Digimon flushed at the compliment and returned the gesture, hugging her with his long ears. Their little celebration was cut short when Masaru and Yoshio arrived on the scene in their DATS uniforms, ready to fight only to find that the Digimon had already been defeated.

Both DATS members stared between Tohru and the Digiegg on the ground, wide eyed. Yoshino was the first to speak up as she pointed at the egg. "Tohru…did…you and Terriermon defeat the Digimon?"

Tohru smiled and nodded her head enthusiastically. "Yup! That Digisoul thing appeared again and I was able to make Terriermon evolve. He fought against the same Digimon that escaped yesterday."

A wide smile spread across Masaru's face and he ruffled his best friend's hair while a loud laugh erupted from his throat. "That's awesome, Tohru! You beat him before we could even get here! That proves that you'd make a great member of DATS!" Tohru's cheeks flushed from the compliment and his usual gesture of friendly affection. Yoshino went over to the Digiegg and picked it up in both of her arms.

"Yeah! You and Terriermon are pretty strong, Tohru!" Agumon chimed in as he gave the girl a pat on the back with his clawed hand.

While Yoshino called up DATS headquarters to inform Satsuma that the Digimon they detected had been defeated already, Tohru gazed down at her Digivice, deep in thought. Her brows furrowed and she gripped it tightly in her hand before she turned her focus to the magenta haired girl.

"Yoshino!" Said magenta haired girl glanced over at the younger teenager, locking gazes with her.

"..Yes? What is it?"

After this fight against Devidramon, Tohru knew that she couldn't just sit by and let wild Digimon come into this world looking to hurt innocent people. She wanted to help DATS protect the city and all of the citizens living in it. She had made her decision.

"Yoshino..I want to join DATS."

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* * *

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**Wow, that was even longer than last chapter, wasn't it? Anyway, I'm sorry for the long wait but my computer is in the shop since I kinda...dropped it on the floor and screwed something up. Hopefully all my files will be saved. So I've been typing this chapter up on my sister's laptop. **

**Also, I'm sorry but I lied about having a chapter out every week. Doing that is gonna stress me out so there will be a new chapter out every two weeks now. I think that's fair enough. c: **

**Next chapter is when I actually start following the plot of the show. The first four chapters were more of an introduction if anything. **


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